‘5 Questions With’: simon a.
“‘Black Airforce Activity’ is a song about originality in art and is basically an exploration of the question of whether it’s possible to create something without taking or “stealing” from someone or something else.”
East London-based artist simon a. truly is a multi-faceted talent. Effortlessly blending different genres from his bedroom, his tracks are loaded with captivating yet easy-going lyrics and rap flows. After his EP ‘WAY TO GO’ which simon a. debuted last year, he built up a strong, solid fanbase and received major acclaim from industry key figures. Only recently, he’s shared a brand new single, ‘Black Airforce Activity’ – his second offering since the EP – which again sheds light on why the rapper should be on your radar.
Read the full interview below…
EQ: What’s a musical memory that you’re most fond of?
S: I remember listening to ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ by Kendrick Lamar for the first time. I was giving it such a casual listen and to be honest I wasn’t even really feeling it like that haha. Then when I got to the Tupac conversation at the end I was like “… I wasn’t paying early enough attention to this at all.” It took a re-listen to go “Hold on, this is… amazing?” It broke my brain and really showed me what music could actually do.
EQ: Which artists did you grow up listening to ?
S: Tbh I never really took music seriously as a young’un, it was just random tracks I liked, like Chris Brown and T-Pain – Freeze, Timbaland – Carry Out. Lonely Island. I was all over the shop lool. I only started paying attention later on.
Drake‘s ‘Thank Me Later’ was the first album I ever heard fully. Other than that, Childish Gambino, Michael Jackson, Usher, Kanye. Basically what my siblings were listening to.
EQ: Can you talk us through your new single Black Airforce Activity?
S: ‘Black Airforce Activity’ is a song about originality in art and is basically an exploration of the question of whether it’s possible to create something without taking or “stealing” from someone or something else. So the song itself contains many references to other songs in the lyrics, flows, and structure, while exploring whether the narrator even belongs in a rap song in the first place.
“Maybe the genres will be different but I think there’ll always be labels.”
– simon a.
EQ: You’re a genre-defying artist, do you think in the future we will still have labels such as pop, RnB etc ?
S: I feel like it’s convenient for people to group things together for ease of access and, in music, discovery. “Who else sounds like this?” At some point there are enough artists that sound similar that you’ve just got to group them together, and if I want to find artists that sound like someone I like then that’s helpful. There’s always gonna be outliers of course, and they’ll still try and label them with something ridiculous like “hyper-electronic, alternative, country soul.” and it’s like “okay bro, you’re reaching” but I hear it. Maybe the genres will be different but I think there’ll always be labels.
EQ: Anything else you’re currently working on that you can share with us?
S: I’ve got another single dropping in November, and then a sort of mini-album some time next year! So I hope you’re looking out for that!
Stream ‘Black Airforce Activity’ below…
YouTube/simon a.
Stream ‘Black Airforce Activity‘ HERE
Keep up with simon a. on socials:
Instagram: @simonandthem
Twitter: @simonandthem